Trip Report: Tuscany & Cinque Terre - May 2025

Tuscany: The birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Known for its rolling hills, vineyards, olive orchards, and fields of wheat. Spring is the best time to be here with its perfect weather, low crowds, and touches of color from blooming flowers. Our group of well travelled photographers was excited to experience this iconic landscape, in the beauty of golden hours and sunsets, with some great food and wine along the way.

We met in Florence and set off to San Quirico, a charming small town in the heart of Val d'Orcia region, known for its scenic beauty and architectural significance. We were led by myself, and our incredible local guide and fantastic photographer, Leonardo Papera. Right off the bat, we were met with blooming flowers, and lush green rolling hills.

The next day, for our first sunrise, Leo and I were nervous that we may be too socked in. We thought there was a chance we may not get any good shots, with the fog looking quite dense. The fog then lowered, and to ours and our camera’s benefit, we were treated to just breathtaking sights. 

Seeing the Italian countryside during the daytime is stunning, but it really ignites during golden hour. 

As we explored throughout this stunning region, we were treated to great light, and pretty flowers that accentuated the beauty of these classic Tuscan fields and properties. 

Of course, we were in Tuscany, so photos were not the only thing to enjoy. We had some of the most delectable food, paired with wine (for many), that you only dream of. Night after night, we were treated to fantastic dishes that helped fuel our long days of shooting. 

In addition to shooting and traveling in the countryside, we also explored and dined in the charming towns along the way, including San Quirico d’Orcia, Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, and Siena. We took a vineyard tour and had lunch and a wine tasting at Capanna di Cencioni Winery as well.

Before heading to Cinque Terre, we ended our time in Tuscany just as we had began, with a beautiful cloud inversion.

After a tasty breakfast and some time to rest and pack, we headed to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre lies on the coast and comprises of five picturesque towns with colorful homes that are squeezed and stacked into the nooks and crannies of the cliffside. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

We stayed in Manarola, arguably the heart of it all and we were just steps from the action, staying at the beautiful Hotel Marina Piccola, a lovely family owned boutique hotel. Staying where we were, we were able to simply stroll from our rooms to capture the two photos above on our first afternoon there. We also waited for blue hour for lights to begin to illuminate this magical little town. 

We had two nights here, and were able to visit and photograph two of the other towns in the area. We were there early in the morning, capturing the blue hour into sunrise. To be in these bustling small touristic towns when they were totally quiet and peaceful was a special experience. We’d stroll the streets and capture small scenes and details and we’d see it turn from noone, to delivery people and street cleaners appearing, to store owners and finally those going out for a morning cappuccino before we’d head to have breakfast and a little rest.

Cinque Terre was the perfect end to a beautiful week enjoying some of the best Italy has to offer.